* * *
" The heck is wrong with this idiot!? " Ian mumbled and skillfully dragged the Alpha to his room despite their size difference.
When Ian, at last, managed to drop Hanlu's body on his bed, he heaves a huge sigh as he watches the Alpha who has not been showing himself for 9 days, peacefully sleeping on his sheets.
" Urgh! I really should start not worrying. Andrews, any moment now. For God's sake have pity on yourself. " Ian mumbled to himself, his eyes on Hanlu's sleeping posture. Crossing his arms as he fidgeted tapping his fingers on his arm, Ian finally gave up and walked near Hanlu.
He started to carefully take off the Alpha's shoe and then settled his body comfortably, draping the duvet over his body.
Sighing in frustration again, Ian rubbed his face in annoyance. He was so annoyed at himself, Hanlu was probably just making him feel bad and was actually just nesting some celebrity in one of his apartments. Maybe after finally having enough of his girlfriend or boyfriend, he came back to him again.
" I hate you, Luu! " Ian mumbled and pinched the Alpha's ear in irritation but soon after he subconsciously leaned down and inhaled Hanlu's scent. The Alpha scent had always made Ian feel calm and somehow assured him.
He doesn't understand it himself but sometimes when things go wrong and Ian himself doesn't know what to do, he just has to hug or be with the man he loves and he will be okay. Being with him cured Ian but at the same time, it also slowly killing him inside.
Pulling away, Ian stood up and walked out of the room shutting the door slowly when he finally left. He went to the kitchen counter and fixed what Hanlu had brought before going into Lan's room checking if he was still asleep.
Inside Lan's room, Ian watches his son's sleeping posture, a gentle smile emerged on his lips seeing how the little kid would take with him on the bed the robot toy Hanlu had bought for him.
He remembered his son had always wanted the toy but it was too expensive for Ian, it's not like he didn't have money. Ian just thought that his money was meant for something more important, like Lan's college fees in the future. He does buy Lan toys, but not expensive ones.
Sitting on the little man's bed, Ian caresses Lan's hair, " You look so much like him. " Ian mumbled seeing Lan's prominent features. He caresses his hair for a couple of seconds more before Ian finally laid beside, nuzzling the side of his sleeping son.
Slowly he fell asleep and dreamt of the times when he was still obliviously in love with the Alpha. He was a third-year senior when Ian met him in College. Since Ian was a scholar student, he worked as a librarian in his free time for extra allowance and income.
He was eighteen and had just started living with himself after finally graduating from the Orphanage.
Back then, he had always told himself love was not for him, that love was for people who had more privilege in life. Something Ian grew up not having, something he never had from the moment he was born.
Ian could still remember quite vividly the very first day he met Hanlu, the day Ian realized he fell in love with the Alpha, the day they first did it and all the first times he had with Hanlu.
Everything felt so magical, he almost believed someone could actually want him, someone could actually show him love, but not that long, reality decided to slap him in the face hard when he first had his heartbroken.
Among all the memories Ian had with Hanlu when they were young, the image of the Alpha and a woman making out in one of the campus public toilets, was the one that really stuck to him. Every time he thought of it, the pain he felt was as if still fresh. As if 8 years had never passed.
He was twenty-two and helplessly in love, he gave up everything he has to offer, hoping that it would be enough for Hanlu. But it wasn't. He should've have known when Hanlu never really told him what he really felt.
There wasn't any label between them but Ian ignored all the signs, thinking maybe relationships was something you don't just say, it was something you just have to feel and believe.
As a child who grew up unloved, Ian loved the feeling of being wanted, being loved, desired. He felt important. He felt his existence had a purpose. Somehow along the way, he manage to make himself believe Hanlu felt the same way. He was so happy but until one day, Ian found out he wasn't the only one and days later before graduation, he discovered he was pregnant.
That day it felt like the whole world was against him, it's like even the world doesn't want him to be happy. Ian was terrified, emotional, and heartbroken. His mind was conflicted, he even thought of abortion.
He was afraid that if he doesn't make the right descision he would end up just like his mother. Everything that happened to him was like history repeating itself.
His mother was also an Omega, he got pregnant by his Alpha father at an early age and both were forced to be together.
Like most Alphas, his father had so much ahead of him before Ian and his mother had come. As a young father, all his opportunities had slowly diminished until there was none. He became miserable and blamed Ian and his mother for what had happened to him.
Every day for as long as the young Ian could remember, his father would beat his mom until he's satisfied.
There were also days when his father tried to hurt him but his mother was there to protect him. It slowly made his mother weak and sickly then one day he died leaving Ian alone, Ian was just eight years old. He was young but he knew pretty much the meaning of death.
For the young Ian it means that his mother won't be by his side anymore. His mother won't be there to sing him a song on his sleep, cook him a simple meal when he's hungry or take care of him when he's hurt.
It means his mother won't be there to tell him how much he was loved and especially his mother won't be there to protect him from his father.
Young Ian was almost sure that his father would beat him to death as well but instead, for the first time since the little Ian had started his memories, he had witnessed as if his father had pulled out a thorn stuck on him for a long time. The next day, Ian was left at the Orphanage and since then, he had never seen his father.
" Mommy, wake up! Mommy, " indistinct voices rung to his ears, from his deep sleep, finally Ian woke up with Lan tapping his on shoulders. It was the little man's body clock to wake up at 7 am to go take a potty but Lan was surprised to see his mother's arms wind up around him.
" Mommy, I need to go potty. " Lan almost begs. He really needed to go but he couldn't because he could not remove himself from his mom's limbs.
" Hmmn? " Ian hummed finally waking up. He removed his arms from Lan as he sits up.
" I want to pee. " Lan repeated and rushed out of his room to the toilet room. Eyes still closed, Ian stood up and stretched his body. After stretching, he then went to the toilet room to watch his son.
" Morning baby, make sure to wash your hands. Mommy will prepare breakfast soon, do you want to help? " Ian asked looking at his son still taking his potty.
" Morning mommy. Okay, Lan will help with breakfast. " Lan replied as he finishes. He washed his hands with handsoap then walked out of the bathroom with Ian to the kitchen.
" Mommy, will daddy finally come and visit us today? " Arriving at their little kitchen, the little boy suddenly asked. He had been missing his father for days now since the Alpha hadn't been at the house for nine days.
Every day Ian would find excuses, he knew from the very start Hanlu won't last being a father to their son so he doesn't want Lan to expect from his father. As the mention of Hanlu, Ian remembered Hanlu was actually in his room.
" Well baby, Daddy's at my room now but he's tired from work. We can come and see him but don't be too loud, okay? " Ian gently and smiled at his son. Instantly after knowing his father has finally come to visit, Lan excitedly jumps and hugs Ian.
" Okay, I won't wake Daddy up. " Lan said then Ian lifted him on his arms. Ian carried his son to his room, they slowly opened the door and immediately Hanlu's sleeping figure revealed upon them.
Giggling in excitement, Lan had a huge smile on his face seeing his father sleeping. " Shhh, we can't wake daddy now, he's tired from work. " Ian smiled as puts down his son.
" Daddy is really here. *giggles* " The little guy giggled and moved closer to kiss his father's cheeks. Watching this, Ian suddenly felt a stabbing pain in his chest. He wanted to give his son a complete family but with Hanlu it was just impossible.
If he gives in to Hanlu's demand, Ian was afraid that the Alpha would one day realize that he was a burden, that Lan was a burden like his Alpha father did to him and his mother.
He didn't want what had happened to him happen to Lan as well. He would never become like his mother. He had long promised it to himself when he decided to keep the baby in his stomach. He wanted to prove to the world that he could take it, despite the challenges being thrown to him, he would stand strong and not let it ruin him as it did to his mother.
" Baby, come here. We probably should let daddy sleep and later when he wakes up, you can play with him, okay? " Ian suggested which Lan nodded smiling. Picking up Lan again, the two left the room shutting the door close slowly.
* * *
Meanwhile.
" What was your younger brother up to these days? " Mrs. Laura Mo asked Laotian when she noticed her middle son had not been coming to the mansion for months.
Usually, he would always come to visit despite his busy schedule just to annoy her. Hanlu had always been a lively child and Laura Mo wishes his son to finally settle down so he would not come to the mansion to hang around when he's bored but sometimes she felt that Hanlu not coming around somehow felt lonely.
" Pursuing his partner, " Laotian replied, his eyes focus on his son which he was currently feeding with his food.
" What? Why? " Mrs, Laura Mo asked surprised, he thought Hanlu and Ian were already considering marriage at this point.
" Well mother, it's because elder brother Hanlu cheated and Ian saw him so now marriage is impossible, there might not be a wedding happening. " Tian Zi replied unemotionally. Tian Zi had long noticed it, it's pretty obvious when it comes to Ian Andrews, Mo Hanlu had the habit of messing everything up. When it comes to the Omega, oh hail the perfect Second Young Master Mo Hanlu vanishes as if he never existed.
" Is this true? " Hearing Tian Zi, Mrs. Laura Mo glanced at Laotian and Daniel for confirmation while her husband, Elder Mo rubbed his temples in frustration.
" Y-Yeah, Well Hanlu explained it was just a goodbye kiss and it was the last time. " Daniel replied halting from eating his lunch.
" Yeah, A goodbye kiss from Veronica Chime! " Tian Zi taunted.
As the mention of the name, Laura Mo suddenly felt a headache coming.